Doll eyes



Dec. 15, 1953 B. sAMUELs ETAL 2,662,340

' DOLL EYES Filed Dec. 16, 1949 JNVENTORS Befyqm/n ou/s Samue/s.

Patented Dec. 15, 1953 DOLL EYES Benjamin Louis Samuelsv and OscarDuster, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Reliable Plastics Co.,Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Ontario ApplicationDecember 16, 1949, Serial No. 133,292

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved eye-set for dolls and othertoys, to a new and improved combination between an eye-set and the headof a doll or other toy, and to a new and improved combination between aneye-set and the head and body of a doll or other toy. Whenever a doll isreferred to herein, it includes other figures.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a turnable eye-set inwhich the eyes are molded integrally with a depending bar whose weightbiases the eyes of said eye-set to their normal open position when thedoll-head is vertical, in which case said depending biasing bar may bevertical. In such vertical position, the lower end of said biasing barmay abut a part of the inner wall of said head, thus providing a stopfor limiting the turning movement of the eye-set in the eye-openingdirection, thus maintaining the eyes in open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an eye-set in which theeyes remain open and motionless during part of the rotation of the dollto a reclining position and in which the eyes open before the doll isbrought back to a vertical position.

A further object is an eye-set which enables simulation of the closingof the eyes to be accomplished in a smooth and'natural manner as thedoll is reclined.

Other objects and features of the invention are stated in the annexeddescription and drawings, which disclose a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 1 is an inner elevation at the rear of the front head-section, alsoshowing the upper part of the front body-section, the longitudinal axisof the doll being shown in the vertical position;

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective View of the eye-set unit;

' Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the eyeset unit;

' Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the retaining bar;

Fig.'.5 is an inner elevation at the rear of the front head-section,showing it assembled with the eye-set unit and the retaining bar, a partof thev representation of the retaining bar being omitted;

Fig. 6 is an inner elevation of the rear headseotion, also showing theupper part of the rear body-section; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section on the lines A-A of Figs. and 6,showing the complete assembly. 1 A y l I (CLM-169) In this embodiment,the head and body of the doll comprise a .front head-section IIl whichis integral with a front body-section Ia, and a rear head-section IIwhich is integral with a rear body-section IIa. Only the upper parts ofthe body-sections Ia and IIa are shown. The body I 00L- I Ia may be ofany conventional shape, and it may be provided with arm-sockets andleg-sockets in which the respective limbs are attached to the body. Asabove-noted, each section IU-Illa and II-IIa may be molded as a separateone-piece unit from a suitable plastic. The parts may be made of anymaterial and in the broader aspects of the invention, each unit which isdescribed herein as a one-piece unit may be made of a pluralityof partswhich are xed to each other.

The rear edge-wall of the front section Ill-I Ila is provided with aseries of rearwardly projecting lugs L. The front edge-wall of the rearsection II-I Ia is provided with a series of sockets S. The two sectionsof the head and body are assembled by locating Ythe-lugs L in theirrespective sockets S. This embodiment has la neck whose narrowestportion is at N.

The front head-section I Il is provided with transversely disposedeye-openings or eye-sockets I2, whose edge-walls are bevelled so thatsaid walls are rearwardly enlarged, in order to position the eye-membersI'I accurately for turning movement in said eye-openings I2. y

Transversely alined bearings I3 are molded in-v tegrally with the innerwall of front section I0. Each bearing I3 includes two'verticallysuperposed sockets I5 and an intermediate bearingrecess I4, which isopen at its rear and also adjacent the respective eye-opening I2.

The eye-set I6 may be molded from iiesh-colcred plastic as a one-pieceunit. It comprises two cup-shaped eye-shells I1, which are integral witha transverse bridge I8 and in axial alignment. Each eye-shell Il has anintegral pivotlug I9, which extends transversely outwardly from therespective eye-shell Il. These pivotlugs I9 iit turnably in thebearing-recesses i4 of bearings I3. The outer convex face of each,eyeshell I'I is marked or decorated in any manner to provideimitationeyes which include a white sclerotic 20, a colored iris 2|, anda colored pupil 22. These surface markings 'may be applied to pieces ofpaper or other material, which are affixed to the convex outer surfacesof eye-shells Il. Alternatively, a separately molded iris may beinserted'intothe eye-shells I'I.l This iris would 'be decorated` tosimulate aneyew The bridge I8 is integral with a depending blasing bar25, which has a biasing weight, 23, in the form in this embodiment of anenlargement of the bar.

When the doll is held in normal upright and vertical position, thebiasing bar 25 is vertical, and its lower end abuts a stop. abutnentwhich may bel in anyl suitable partl of the doll', as in the fronthead-section I0, or at the neck joint of the head and body. Theimitation eyes; are then centered in the eye-openings I2. *y

At its upper end, the bridge I8 is integral with a laterally andrearwardlyr profecting lug. 21, which functions as a second, weightswhen? the? doll is in said normal upright and vertical por4 sition, saidprojection 21 may optionally abut the upper edge of the retaining han248. or there may be a clearance between projection 2' l and retainingbar 28. The weight of the stop-lug- 21 also provides additional3 forceto bias the eye- Set, I6 to turn counterclncltwise relativa to the head;II-I0 as. viewedv in"n '1, in' orden' te maintain the imitation eyescentered-'in t-h'oeyee Open-ings,v I2; when doll is. vertical' with'.Lits head above its,` body. Hence two'stopsmeans are Shown in thisembodiment; for saidi counterclockwise: turninglvmevements of the eyela, in order to maintainlthe imitation eyes in said centered positionIt. will be. notedy thatithdweights 23' and 2f!! are in axialalignment.and spaced ort opposite sidesl of the bridge member l8r.The-rearwardly projectinglug on .weight Nmap be vof diererrt shape fromthat shownrbut it?. is; preferred te utilize a shape whichis;cylindricalin' nature-e) When the doll' is; inclinedfrearwardly' in acorina terclockwise direction from its position of Fig. 71, theLeye-set, I5 is turned clockwise' aoundlthe axis of pivot-lug Irelativeto-.head Hee-IU by' thelbi'asing bar 25 and its weightnf whose torqueexceeds that4 o1", projeotionu2't.. until the eye-shells' I1 areturnedto-conceal the imitatio'i'i eyes', and-to expose only their upperiesh'-colored-portionsA throughthea eye-openings |221, thus simulatingclosed'eye-f lids and a sleeping` position; et' the delli.l

The eye-set I 61 is trnablyfleldii-i position by a retaining bar 28which; has lateral and? forwardl'yh extending anges 30- andi-andarwail'which hasconcave top and` bettomedg'eel Each Harige 3U' hastwofintegral studs` 3| at itsi-ff'rcntedge. These studs 3| trespectiyeiyixif the'1 recesses ersoclcets I5 of the respective P2.

Asshown inFi'gs. 6 and' 'Ff theinuer face or-rear' section'V I I: has` alateral andforwardlyeextendirfg integral lugvv or proj'eetidrii 32..Whe-n` the parts are assembled,` thetip or? proi'eeton 32j frml'yVabuts the rear face of'walli No'retainingbarf, thus: holding theretaining barf in position in the assembled doll,` andmaking itunnecessary to x'the retaining bar 28 a'dti'e'sivel` dio'tlierwisel*1in`- the front,head-'section- I0;

The parts are easily assembled'ds* follows The pivot-lugs I@ are;liii-the bearing# recesses Il; ofr bearings I3.-' so that the-eye'ishellsI1 are locatedproperly` in the;.=eyeopenings |12.

The lugs; orI studs.V 3l: ofthe retaining han' 281 arethenv locatedinsocketssls @bearings I3. 'l-iisE can be done while thefreut,head-section Inf isi in horizontal position:

The two sections ofI thefheatk and'. lwdi" are their intertted byfmeansoilueis Llandsackets: s and said sections. are thenA ixed`adbesivelyf '0r @theta wise to eachothen along theirfiunctinnzedges--`whienare, deiined by line 13er As shown in Fig.; lathetinretrxeiactmmnamts the rear face of rear Wall 29 of retaining bar 28,so that it is unnecessary to x retaining bar 28 to front head-sectionI0, adhesively or otherwise. although this may be done prior toassembling the sections I0 and I I.

Also, in some toys, the toy gure may only have a: single eye. In suchcasathe respective headsection will have only a single eye-opening andthe eye-set will have only a single imitation eye.

Such modification is an obvious equivalent for the device describedherein and is within the scope of the appended claims.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed hereinthe-eye-set has been described as being molded in' one piece fromsuitable plastic material. However, other forms of construction such asassembly from individual units which may be of metallic or non-metallicmaterial should be considered to be equivalent to the constructiondescribed. y

A preferred' embodiment of" the invention has been disclosed, but thescope of the invention includes numerous changes, omissions. additionsand? substitutions, and also sub-'combinations of the completecombination.

We claim;

1'. A hollow-d l1head consisting of four molded plastic one-piece units,said units being a front head-section andA a rear head-section'whichYare fixed to each other,V a turnable eye-set. and a reltaining bar saiddoll-head having; a longitudinal axis, said front, head-section havingspaccdflaterally directedbearings at the rear face of its front wall,said bearings' being located ori a line. which is transverse to saidlongitudinal axis. said front wall having spacedl eye-openings' located,on` said. transverse line intermediate said bearings, each bearinghaving a lateral' bearing recess which. is open at its rear end)l saidbearings also. having rearwardly directed sockets located above andbelow said bearing recesses,V said eyefset having pivot-lugs locatedturnably in said bearing recesses. and' havingv eyeemembers which havesimulations of eyes an'dwhich. are, located turn-- ably in saideye-openings, said eye-set also hav'- ing biasing weight means whichmaintain'said simulations in said'eye-openingsA when said dollhead is inupright vertical position andl which turn said eye-set to shift saidVsimulations out of ysaid eye-openings when said head1 is til-tedzrearwardl'y from said upright' vertical position.. said.'

retaining bar having studswhich are located inl which said biasingweight means comprise adepending bar which abuts said' front-headsection when said. simulationsare, in said; eye-openings and arearwardly extending projection which` then abuts the upper face. ofsaidy retainingbar.

3'.. A hollow doll-headaccordingto claim l, in which said eye-set. hasa. rearwardly extendingv projection which abuts the upper face of saidre.=V

taining bar when said simulations are in said eye.-A openings.

BENJAMIN LoUlsj OSCAR Dos'ma.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Frisch et al May 26, 1925Wilhelm May 24, 1932 Peake Apr. 25, 1933 Andes May 16, 1933 Lorenz et alMay 21, 1935 Paganello May 12, 1936 Number Number Name Date Hoiman Dec.10, 1940 Wilhelm Mar. 27, 1951 Baggott Aug. 28, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTSCountry Date Great Brita-in Jan. 2, 1942 Great Britain Mar. 11, 1942

